February 14
Missionary and Scholar Cyril Dies in Rome
The younger Byzantine brother, weakened after years of missionary travel, entered monastic life in Rome and died there just as papal approval secured the future of Slavic liturgy.
Summary
The Byzantine brothers Constantine and Methodius undertook missions among the Khazars and, beginning in 863, among the Slavs of Great Moravia. Constantine devised the Glagolitic alphabet and worked with Methodius to translate Christian texts into a Slavic literary language, challenging the assumption that worship should be confined to Greek, Latin, or Hebrew. The brothers traveled to Rome to defend their mission and seek approval for Slavic liturgy and clergy. Constantine entered monastic life there under the name Cyril. He died from illness in Rome on February 14, 869, leaving Methodius to continue their work in central Europe.
Context
In the ninth century the Byzantine Empire pursued active missionary outreach to peoples along its borders, including Turkic groups north of the Black Sea and Slavic populations in the Danube basin and central Europe. Thessalonica, a major city in the empire’s European themes, stood at the linguistic frontier where Greek speakers encountered Slavic dialects daily, shaping the early formation of two brothers born there to a family of some standing.
What Happened
By 868 the brothers had reached Rome after a journey from Great Moravia. They came to answer charges brought by German clergy who claimed jurisdiction over the same Slavic territories and insisted on the exclusive use of Latin in worship. Pope Adrian II received them with public ceremony, endorsed the use of Old Church Slavonic in the liturgy, and authorized the ordination of Slavic priests.
Aftermath
Cyril’s health, already compromised by travel and earlier missions, declined rapidly once the brothers arrived in the city. He received the monastic tonsure under the name Cyril and died on February 14, 869. Adrian II then consecrated Methodius as bishop and dispatched him back to the Slavs as papal legate and archbishop of Sirmium, entrusting him with oversight of the entire mission.
Legacy
The brothers’ defense of vernacular worship and their creation of a written Slavic language opened lasting channels for literacy and religious expression among Slavic peoples. Their Glagolitic script evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet still used across much of eastern Europe, while the precedent of Slavic liturgy influenced the cultural and ecclesiastical development of later states from Bohemia to Kievan Rus. In the twentieth century the Roman Catholic Church formally recognized their contribution by proclaiming them co-patrons of Europe.
Why It Matters
The brothers' translation program helped establish an enduring Slavic Christian literary tradition. Their work influenced the later Cyrillic script, expanded vernacular worship and education, and shaped the religious and cultural development of communities across eastern and southeastern Europe. Later churches and states drew on that legacy when developing their own written cultures.
Related Questions
Why did Cyril and Methodius create a new alphabet?
They needed a script that could accurately represent the sounds of Slavic languages so they could translate the Bible and liturgy into a form the local people could understand and use.
What conflict brought the brothers to Rome?
German bishops claimed authority over Moravia and insisted that only Latin could be used in church services; the brothers traveled to Rome to obtain papal backing for Slavic-language worship.
How did Cyril’s death affect the mission?
Methodius continued alone, receiving consecration as bishop and repeated papal support, though he later faced imprisonment and renewed opposition from German clergy.
What script is still used because of their work?
The Cyrillic alphabet, which developed from their Glagolitic invention, remains the writing system for Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and several other Slavic languages.
Why are Cyril and Methodius honored as patrons of Europe?
Their introduction of written Slavic and vernacular liturgy helped shape the religious and cultural identity of millions across eastern and central Europe for more than a millennium.
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Sources
- Saints Cyril and Methodius, Patrons of Europe, Vatican News. Accessed 2026-07-12.
- Saints Cyril and Methodius, Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-12.